Collapsible service table ensemble



June 30, 1953 H. DERMAN COLLAPSIBLE SERVICE TABLE ENSEMBLE Filed Deo. 29, 1950 INVENTOR HF! RRY D'ERMFI N ATTORN EY Patented June 30, 1.953

arrA srA'r Es `COLLAPSIBLE SERVICE TABLE ENSEMBLE Harry Derman, Great Neck, N. Y.; Henrietta Derman, Sam Derman, and Sidney Derman, executors of said Harry Derman, deceased Application December 29, 1950, Serial No. 203,365

1 Claim.

This invention relates towhat can be termed a collapsible table ensemble for use in providing in the home, and other places, a service table which ycan be positioned adjacent a chair, sofa or the like for the support of refreshments of any type or kind for convenient and practical use by the user. More particularly, the invention deals with an ensemble comprising a supporting base having a plurality of pairs of apertures, with which two legs of the collapsible table trays are adapted to be placed in supporting a plurality of such trays on the base in producing said ensemble.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of a plurality of service tables or trays which I employ.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing only part of the construction and showing a modification; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the base of the ensemble indicating part of one of a number of collapsed table trays in dot and dash lines, as mounted upon the base.

In practice, my improved ensemble comprises the use of a rectangular base IIJ, having four pairs of alined apertures II, I2, I3 and I4, which are adapted to receive the lower ends of one pair of legs of a plurality of collapsible table or tray units I5. As the four tray or table units are of the same construction, only one of the units is shown in detail.

Each unit comprises a top tray or table portion IS reinforced at its lower face by two longitudinal parallel rails II, one end of the rails having apertures, as for example, at I8 for reception of a long pivot rod I9 which is xed to upper ends of a pair of leg members 20. The lower end portions of the leg members 20 are joined and spaced by a rod 2I and these leg members are pivoted, as seen at 22, to another pair of leg members 23. Fixed to the upper end of the leg members 23 is a rod 2G, similar to the rod I9, and this rod is adapted to enter angular recesses 25 in the other end portions of the rails I'I, as clearly seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Secured to the lower surface of the last named end of the rails I'I are swinging retaining plates 26, adapted to swing about the holding screws 2l' in controlling entrance of the rod 24 into the recess or slot 25. These .plates also prevent displacement of the leg members 23 from the rails I'I, if the unit I5 is carried about with the legs in extended position.

The lower ends of the pair of legs 23 are joined and spaced by a cross-rod 28, similar to the rod 2 I. In collapsing the table or tray unit, the retaining plates 26 are moved into position to open the recesses 25, after which the end portion 29 of the table I6 is raised until the rod 24 has moved out of the recesses 25, after which the end portion 29 of the table IB is raised until the rod 24 has moved out of the recesses 25, after which, the leg frame comprising the pair of legs 23 is swung on the pivots 22 to move the rod end 2i into a lowered position, in which operation the table I6 drops onto the outer surface of this leg frame with the rail I'I disposed within the pair of leg members 20. The lower ends 30 of the legs 20 are then adapted to be inserted into one pair of apertures, such for example, as the apertures II of the base I0, the apertures II-I being of such size as to snugly, but freely, receive the rectangular cross-sectional contour of the legs 20, so as to support each unit I5 in a perpendicularly upright position. Spacing of the pairs of apertures II-I4 one with respect to the other is such as to allow for the over-all thickness of the collapsed unit I5, which comprises a little more than the combined thicknesses of the leg frames and table top.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have shown a modied means of retaining the leg frame, comprising the pair of legs 23,- against accidental displacement from the table top.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, the table top is indicated at I6; Il' shows one of the rails, and 23 is one of the leg members, similar to the leg members 23, seen in Fig. 2; 24 is the cross-rod, similar to the rod 24.

In Fig. 3, instead of providing a parallel wall slot, as for example, the slot 25, an irregular slot 3| is employed which terminates at its inner end in a rounded socket portion 32 for reception of the cross-rod 24. The socket 3| has a flared entrance opening defined partially by an angular wall 34, between which, and the socket 33, is a deep notch 35. Secured to the angular Wall portion 34 of the rails Il is a spr-ing clip 36 having an inwardly offset portion 3l adapted to engage the cross-rod 24 to retain the leg 23 from dropping out of the socket, if the table unit is carried in the hand. In other words,

the spring clip 36 is su'cient to support the Weight of the legs in a suspended position. At the same time, whenever desired, the cross-rod 24 can be forcibly detached from the socket 3|. It will also be understood that the rod 24 is forcibly inserted into its retained position, as seen in Fig. 3.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A collapsible table comprising a, table top having reinforcing rails arranged in wide spaced parallel relationship to each other on the lower surface on the table top, a collapsible leg frame, said frame comprising two pairs of leg members, spaced alined means for pivoting the leg members together substantially centrally7 thereof, the upper end of one pair of leg members being pivotally mounted in connection with one end of said rails, the upper end portion of the other pair of leg members being joined and spaced by a cross-rod, the other end of said rails having opposed sockets of irregular cross-sectional form and each including a notch, a spring detent mounted wholly within each socket and having an oilset portion movable into said notch, and said cross-rod being adapted to enter said opposed sockets and engage the offset of said springs, said oifset yieldably retaining the crossrod against displacement from said sockets when the table is in set-up condition.

HARRY DERMAN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 313,632 Stowell Mar. 10, 1885 1,050,519 Cox Jan. 14, 1913 1,291,304 Warren Jan. 14, 1919 1,734,997 Chubbuck Nov. 12, 1929 1,743,972V Krumnies Jan. 14, 1930 2,003,215 Kennedy July 16, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 602,511 Great Britain Mar. 27, 1948 

